Audioquest Stereo Alpha-Snake 6,0m (Cinch)

At first glance, Alpha-Snake’s design looks like a traditional coaxial
cable. However, there are many very important differences, each of which
greatly influences sound quality.

DESIGN BASICS: Alpha-Snake has identical conductors for the positive and
ground connections. Underneath the 100% coverage foil shield is a bare
conductor, exactly the same as the insulated center conductor. The
conductor under the shield does double duty as a low distortion audio
connection, and as the drain wire connecting the shield to ground.

CONDUCTORS: Both of Alpha-Snake’s conductors are solid. Electrical and
magnetic interaction between strands in a conventional cable is the
greatest source of distortion, often causing a somewhat dirty harsh
sound. Solid conductors are the most important ingredient enabling
Alpha-Snake’s very clear sound.

METAL: Alpha-Snake’s LGC (Long Grain Copper) allows a smoother and
clearer sound than cables using regular OFHC (Oxygen-Free
High-Conductivity) copper. OFHC is a general metal industry
specification regarding “loss,” without any concern for distortion. LGC
has fewer oxides within the conducting material, less impurities, less
grain boundaries, and definitively better performance.

INSULATION: Any solid material adjacent to a conductor is actually part
of an imperfect circuit. Wire insulation, circuit board materials all
absorb energy (loss). Some of this energy is stored and then released as
distortion. The general cable industry ranks insulating materials by
loss, with little regard for distortion. AudioQuest ranks materials by
damage to an audio signal. The PVC used in Alpha-Snake has too much loss
to be used in a quality video cable, but it has a very benign distortion
profile through the audio range, keeping Alpha-Snake’s sound pleasant
and natural.

TERMINATIONS: Precision gold plated plugs are carefully attached with
the very best solder. Through choice of flux and metallurgy, AQ solder
has been optimized to make a low distortion connection. All solder,
including “silver solder,” is a poor conductor. The difference you hear
between solders is a result of connection quality. AQ Solder does not
have a high silver content because the more silver there is in solder,
the more difficult it is to make a good connection.

A combination of these major ingredients, and many more subtle details
add up to explain how even an inexpensive cable like Alpha-Snake can
sound so good.